India’s generation next bags top honour internationally

Ishita Manjrekar, receives the American Concrete Institute Young Member Award for Professional Achievement in Milwaukee, USA

Ishita Manjrekar, Director Technology of Sunanda Speciality Coatings Pvt Ltd has bagged the prestigious ‘Young Member Award for Professional Achievement’ in Milwaukee, USA.

The top honour by American Concrete Institute (ACI) was presented at the Concrete Convention and Exposition in recognition of Ishita’s exemplary achievement, groundbreaking research, and service to ACI and the concrete industry.

The international committee took positive note of her outstanding service to advance the spread of concrete knowledge at the India Chapter of American Concrete Institute (ICACI) and at various national and international platforms; her immense contribution to the advancement of sustainable and durable construction through the use of innovative construction chemical aids; and her focus on mentoring students to pursue research and careers in the field of civil engineering.

Commenting on this achievement, Ishita said, “I am very honoured and humbled by this award and also excited by what it means for the country. The world has taken notice of the Indian construction industry. I would like to dedicate this recognition to the entire team of talent that I work with at Sunanda Chemicals. It is truly an honour to work with this group of achievers. And secondly, this award belongs to all the young women in the construction industry. I would like them to know that their contribution and commitment to the profession is valued and I hope this encourages more women to take up engineering as a career.”

For the past nine years, Ishita has been Director Technology at Sunanda Speciality Coatings Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, a well-known construction chemicals company whose operations extend from India to Nepal, UAE, Oman, Tanzania and USA.

Ishita’s research interests include corrosion, admixtures, and protective coatings. She received her Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, in 2005, and her MS in chemical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, New York, in 2007.

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